Google Shopping gets global go ahead

Google Shopping will be introduced in ten more countries, after a successful trial of the feature in the US.

The UK is one country set to see the effects of the change, which will also be rolled out in France, Japan, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Brazil and Australia.

Buyers can search for the product they want and see several options at the top of the page, each showing a seller, price and linking directly to customer reviews, allowing for a quick and easy comparison of each item.

Google says that the change is designed to make it easier for customers to find what they want and connect directly with merchants.

Under the new system, companies can create their own optimised product listing ads providing all the relevant information about their product, while they can also enjoy a further boost by joining the list of Google Trusted Stores, which will display a special logo next to their company name.

The plans initially drew a mixed reaction from users, who expressed concerns that it would be difficult for a small business to rank over more well-known companies. However, the search engine has been keen to show off examples of businesses benefiting from Google Shopping , highlighting instances where clicks and conversions have risen.

It will be hoping that similar success stories will be created in the UK and across the rest of the countries involved.

Improving shopping across all platforms

This is the second announcement from Google this month that focuses on making shopping easier. It also announced the expansion of the Google Wallet feature to allow consumers to complete purchases on their mobile more easily.

While the plan is firstly to achieve more relevant results, the key factor Google wants to improve is the amount of time and number of clicks between finding the information and making a purchase.

Daniel Nolan, managing director at theEword, said: "If businesses use this feature properly, the evidence put forward by Google suggests they could really benefit. Expanding the feature into ten more countries indicates Google is extremely confident in this feature, so companies really need to sit up and take notice."